Jack Russell Ohlrich passed away Monday, November 25, 2024, with his family by his side.

On July 11, 1924, Jack Ohlrich was born to Otto and Wallie Hillert Ohlrich. Eight years later his only brother, Robert Ohlrich was born. They were raised on the family ranch on FM 1863 which was settled by his maternal grandparents in 1850.

Jack was fluent in German and Spanish and learned English when he went to school during the 1st through 9th grades, Jack rode horseback to Mission Valley School, near the present day Newk's Tennis Ranch. The one room school house sent five children to NBHS the year Jack entered the 9th grade. He worked after school from 3:00 to 11:00 p.m. plus weekends at the Mission Valley Mills for .30 cents an hour.

Jack was a true Texas rancher, a straight shooter and very self reliant. The years would find him succeed far beyond his high school education. However, life's plans took a detour with World War II.

In August 1944, Jack married his high school sweetheart, Beverly Tolle. Even though Jack had an agricultural deferment, he volunteered for the Army and 34 days after his wedding he was at basic training at Ft Hood. By February of 1945 he was on board a ship and told only that he was "going to the Pacific". Thirty one days later he landed in the Philippines with L. Company, 33rd Infantry Division headed for the mountains of northern Luzon. Luckily for Jack, the war ended when it did because he was scheduled to be among the forces that would invade Japan. Instead of the invasion, he was boarded on a ship for the occupation of Japan.   He was stationed at the Tokyo telegraph office and stayed working there for a year after the war ended. During that time, he learned to admire the Japanese people and maintained a lifelong friendship with one of the Japanese counterpart he worked with in the telegraph office.

After his return home and with his father still running the family ranch, he went back into ranching in Midland with Beverly's stepfather and mother. Then in 1948 he took advantage of the opportunity to lease the R.R. Coreth 3,000 acre ranch which is the current site of Hunters Creek, Oak Run, Walgreens and HEB. The next year, 1949, brought the birth of his only child, Toya, who adored going to the ranch with him every day until the drought of the 1950's forced a career change in 1959.

The drought of the early 5o's was devasting for the ranching industry. Not able to make a living in the ranching business, Jack got his real estate license in 1958. While selling homes was certainly a large part of his business, the one thing Jack knew well was ranching and Texas Hill Country land. Jack's first sale was for a 1,350 acre ranch which sold for $75 an acre. His $3,000 commission was more than he made ranching in a year. Soon his reputation for straight talk and good advice paid off. After getting his Brokers license, he ran his own firm, where Toya joined him in 1974. They worked together till he retired shortly after Beverly's death in 1982. Jack was also one of the developers of Mission Oaks Subdivisions from 1960 until his retirement and then returned to ranching in 1988.

Having earned the respect of the community, he served on several Boards of Directors including the original First National Bank in 1973 (then Texas Commerce Bank) and later Chase Bank. He was selected to be remembered in Honors Hall, received the Besserung Award, served as President of Wurst Association and later Grosse Opa. Jack was elected to City Council in 1968, served as Mayor for the City of New Braunfels, and he was one of the driving forces in the development of the original Civic Center. Continuing to work for the betterment of our city and county, he represented our interests on the Edwards Aquifer Board for 9 years. Honored as a Living Legend and in 2013 he was honored as a NBISD distinguished Unicorn Alumni. Even in his 80's he continued to serve as he did in 2005, on the charter review committee and served as an Advisor for the Comal County Regional Conservation Habitat Committee. In his 90's he was awarded the 2014 Outstanding Range Land Management award for the State of Texas.

Not one to sit back and enjoy retirement, Jack would rather be out fixing fences or repairing broken water tanks. Hard physical work is what kept him young. A day without a project was a day wasted. Jack is definitely "old school", but the old school definitely taught him well.

While he loved physical work, he had fun too.  Jack was a very good dancer, learning from spending time as a child at local dance halls with family. He and Beverly even did square dancing when they lived in Midland. They were fortunate to have traveled extensively in Europe, China, South and Central America to name a few.  Jack was an avid hunter, but he was also a very good cook. So he enjoyed being camp cook and the camaraderie that went with doing that.  Fishing was probably his favorite pastime. Fishing in Alaska for salmon and halibut, Peru for peacock bass or on overnight float trips with Toya down the Guadalupe, before Canyon Lake was built, using trotlines and throwlines for catfish were when Jack was happiest. Through just being himself and spending time on the ranch, he instilled that appreciation for the outdoors with friends and family along the way. Just ask Drummond, he will tell you.

Jack is survived by his daughter Toya Ohlrich Boyer and her husband Bruce, granddaughters Casey Cox and husband Brian, Shelley Minus and husband Steve, Rachel Boyer Meier and husband Seth, and 7 great grandchildren Rylan, Brendan, Cade, Carson, Kingsley, Jake and Sloane. Nieces Teresa Ohlrich Johnson and husband Robert and Debbie Ohlrich.

A visitation will be held Doeppenschmidt Funeral Home on Friday, November 29, 2024 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm followed by a private family burial.

In Lieu of Flowers Memorials may be made in Jack's Honor to the Sophienburg Museum at Director@sophienburg.com or The New Braunfels Youth Collaborative to stacey@thenbyc.com for the transformation of the Mill Street Building (The Original New Braunfels High School Building) that will be used to provide educational programs for local youth.

Sophienburg Museum:
mail a check to: Sophienburg Museum
401 W. Coll St. New Braunfels, Texas 78130

Or donate online: https://sophienburg.com/donate/

New Braunfels Youth Collaborative, Mill Street Youth Center Capital Fund:
mail a check to: Director Stacey Dickie, NBYC 801 W. San Antonio St., New Braunfels TX  78130

Or donate online:
https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/wCfwupJBjZUPiV4RJCV-mA